Jerome Gambit: Do Grandmasters Actually Think?

Scientists who study thinking sometimes use chess (and chess players) as a model of thought, to further their understanding of the subject.

I recently read a technical paper highlighting a number of points of disagreement including Do Grandmasters actually think during 1-minute games, or is it something else?

That got me wandering back to "My Chess Psychology Bookshelf" (as well as The Database) in search of an answer to one of my own questions How much do Grandmaster games help in the understanding of the Jerome Gambit?

The challenge, of course, is that there are few* serious GM games featuring the Jerome - most of them are played online at blitz time control for fun and entertainment.

So, you can probably trust grandmaster tactics in the middlegame, or grandmaster strategy in the endgame, but relying on their opening understanding might very well depend upon their experience with the Jerome Gambit, or if they have chosen the opening on a lark. 

Arisaaa - Kittinaa

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2021

It is interesting to note that both players are rated 2500+ on their playing site.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6  3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

Consulting The Database, I see that Arisaaa has 34 games, scoring 79%.

This is the only game by Kittina in The Database. 

4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.f4 d6  

This is the "silicon" or "annoying" defense, so called because it is the choice of a number of computer programs - and because it is annoying. Black calmly returns a piece (he has two extra) and argues that his King is relatively safe at e6.

The Database has 374 games with this position, and Black scores 54%. Data drawn from The Database points out that the average rating of the defenders is 1885, while their performance is 2003 - is this due, at least in part, to the defensive line of play?

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Qh3+ Kd6 10.Qd3+ Ke7 11.Qg3 

This is standard play against the defense, the White Queen shuttling to squares where it can deliver check or threaten a pawn.

The struggle here was one of the reasons that long time Jerome Gambiteer MrJoker wandered away from the opening for a while - see "Jerome Gambit: Time For A Sobering Cup of Coffee".

11...Kd6 

With the choice of surrendering either the g-pawn or the e-pawn, Black chooses the former. This is a blitz game, so the decision has to be made relatively quickly.

It would require familiarity with the Jerome Gambit in general, and this defense, in particular, to realize that one of the top move choices here is 11...Ke8, abandoning both pawns.

Still, Kittinaa is in good company. Two games from the legendary 1993 Fisher-Kirshner - Knight Stalker match reached this position, with White scoring 1 - 1; two games from the 2006 slugfest computers vs human match, featuring Crafty 19.19 and Hiarcs 8, saw a couple of draws; and Bill Wall played with and against a few computer programs - AnMon, Comet B50, and Komodo 5 / Rybka, with White scoring 2 - 1.

12.b4 

According to The Database this Evans Gambit style pawn sacrifice is a new idea here. According to Stockfish 15 it is the best move in the position.

Hats off to Arisaaa.

12...Bxb4 13.c3 Bc5 14.d4 Qe7

The Queen tries to hold things together. 

The computer suggests that either 14...b6 15.dxc5+ Kc6 or 14...Kc6 directly were better choices. Still, this is a blitz game and here nobody dies by nuance.

15.dxc5+ Kc6 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Nc4 Nxe4

I know there is this unofficial bit of advice for blitz play, that when in doubt, grab material, but here that suggestion fails. Rather, Black should think about castling-by-hand with 17...b6 or 17...b5 and 18...Kb7.

18.Nxe5+ Kd5

This leads to checkmate, but the alternatives are not much more attractive: 18...Qxe5 19.Qxe5 and 18...Kxc5 19.Ba3+ each give up the Queen.

19.c4+ Kxc5 20.Ba3+ Kb6 21.Qb3+ Ka6 22.Qb5 checkmate

Nicely done.

* I am tempted to say "no", rather than "few", but some higher-rated players might argue that they compete seriously online with the Jerome Gambit, risking rating points and hoping to place high in a tournament or help their teams.